Wheaton voters may choose Ives replacement
Now that Jeanne Ives has been elected to the state legislature, it’s possible voters in Wheaton will get to choose her replacement on the city council in April.
Ives, who defeated Democrat William Adams in the 42nd state House District race Tuesday, said she intends to step down from her position on the city council by Nov. 30, which would allow her seat to be up for election April 9, 2013.
For the seat to be considered at the ballot box, state law dictates there be at least four months between the date the elected official resigns and the next scheduled election. Otherwise, the mayor and remaining members of the council would have to make an appointment to fill the remaining time in the term — in Ives’ case, through spring 2015.
Mayor Mike Gresk and the council will still have to appoint someone to fill Ives’ seat from December to April. It would be up to that person to decide to run for the remaining two years in Ives’ term.
Gresk said he’d prefer to appoint someone with the understanding that person would also run for election to serve out Ives’ term.
“My opinion is whoever we appoint should be willing to run in the April municipal elections,” Gresk said. “There’s just so much to learn and absorb (on the council).”
Gresk said he’s already spoken to three or four “qualified” candidates for Ives’ seat and expects there to be a “plethora” of additional candidates considering it is an at-large position. The council is comprised of two such positions; the other five seats are the mayor and four district council members.
Those four district seats — north, west, south and east — are up for election in April. Of the four incumbents — Phil Suess, Todd Scalzo, John K. Rutledge and Tom Mouhelis — only Mouhelis has said he won’t be seeking another four-year term.
Should Ives step down in time, five seats on the seven-member council would be up for grabs. Gresk said he anticipates some of the races will be contested.
Ives’ position in the state House will be a 2-year term. Her district covers parts of Carol Stream, Lisle, Naperville, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton and Winfield.